The short answer
From the biblical prohibition of boiling a kid in its mother's milk (Exodus 23:19, etc.), interpreted and extended in rabbinic law to a full separation of meat and dairy — separate dishes, waiting periods, and more.
Why people ask this
This is the most visible kashrut practice and the one that most puzzles newcomers; the rabbinic extension explains it.
Key terms
- Kashrut
- The Jewish dietary laws.
Jewish perspectives
- Traditional: full separation of meat and dairy, with waiting periods and separate utensils.
- Reform and some others: kashrut observed by personal choice and interpretation.
Scholarly & historical context
A biblical verse was extended by the rabbis into a comprehensive system of meat-dairy separation.
What is agreed upon
The biblical source is the kid in its mother's milk.
Where the disagreement begins
How far the rabbinic extension binds.
Practical consequences
If you keep kosher traditionally, expect separate dishes and waiting periods.
Original sources
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